Amadeus

by Peter Shaffer.

Performed outdoors in Austin Gardens.

Performances June 13-July 13, 2013
Previews June 13-14
Opening Night Saturday, June 15 at 8:00 pm
Thursday – Saturday 8:00 pm/Sundays 7:00 pm
No performance Thursday, July 4
Plus Wednesdays July 3 and 10 at 8:00pm

Amadeus, the renowned tale of Mozart as seen through the eyes of his most envious competitor, composer Antonio Salieri. While hardly an accurate portrayal of history, the play is an interesting representative style of the style and values of the time. In turns dramatic and irreverently humorous, this play will draw lovers of classical theater, classical music and even contemporary film fans, as well as anyone who works hard to develop a craft, while witnessing success coming easily to another

“[“Amadeus”] lives and dies on the strength of whoever tackles the role of Salieri…Fortunately, Kevin Theis in Oak Park Festival Theatre’s revival makes the multiple challenges of playing Salieri look as easy as Shaffer’s “Wolfie” dashing off an opera. From long self-aware expositional passages to scheming comic interludes with the puffed-up stooges who control court life, Theis fully inhabits the role without resorting to the sort of gimcrackery that mars his character’s musical output. – Kerry Reid, Chicago Tribune

“Directing again after a long hiatus, Richard has crafted a graceful, powerful production that artfully balances both the emotional and intellectual sides of Shaffer’s script, and Kevin Theis and Chris Daley expertly bring the lead antagonists to life. Theis is particularly fine as Salieri, embodying all that’s dark and bright in this deeply conflicted character.” – Jack Helbig, Chicago Reader

“Directed by Mark Richard, “Amadeus” has a stormy, electrical power that pulses through in large part due to Kevin Theis’ take-no-prisoners depiction of the tormented Salieri. It’s an Everest of a role, continually demanding that the stakes be progressively heightened as Salieri journeys from smug, securely pious egotist to shattered, wholly disillusioned schemer intent not on praise but on destruction. -Catey Sullivan, Pioneer Press

“Amadeus, presented outdoors in Austin Gardens is blessed with strong production values and a phenomenally talented cast. The two lead players are especially remarkable. Deftly directed by Mark Richard, this intelligent, fast-paced production really kicks off Festival’s 39th summer nicely.
“Kevin Theis, a longtime Festival favorite, is outstanding in the massive role of Salieri, our narrator. Theis commands the stage for the play’s nearly 2½-hour running time. His range is astonishing: Salieri has numerous monologues running the gamut from disbelief to outrage to revenge. By the end of the evening, we identify completely with the cunning, devious Italian court composer who was ruined once the dazzling prodigy showed up in Vienna.
“Chris Daley [as Mozart] is hilarious as well as touching, bringing out the childlike goodness and spontaneity, as well as his giggly, incorrigible, almost bipolar behavior. Daley is oddly endearing, making several rather abrupt transitions credible. Theis and Daley keep the energy flowing back and forth. But the excellent supporting cast is large and lively.”- Doug Deuchler, Oak Park Wednesday Journal

“Tremendous acting and staging. Breathtaking transformations, a tall tale of fiction that will entertain and delight.” – Ed Vincent, Oak Park Journal

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos Courtesy of Johnny Knight Photography